Adjustable car-partition.



J. DIXEY.-

' ADJUSTABLE GAR PARTITION. APPLICATION FILED F2126, 1910.

Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

I71 wizfaz' 74 1712 eases UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Y JOHN DIXEY, or CHICAGO, ILLIINOIS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN 'DIXEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Adjustable Car-Partition, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in removable partitions or gates, in which a structure extending transversely of the car is swung or suspended from one or more tracks or runways which extend longitudinally of the car, and is provided with suitable roof and floor locks to maintain the same stationary when in use.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide means for holding merchandise in place and preventing damage to the same through the jarring or bumping of the cars.

Another object is to provide a portable and convenient partition or gate which is adjustable to various classes of cars and to the varying conditions met with in loading, transporting or handling merchandise in cars.

Another obje t is to provide means whereby time and 1a or are saved in the loading or handling of small lots of merchandise.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of a portion of a freight car, showing the track or runway, and showing a partition in position for use, this view showing also in dotted lines a similar partition raised to the position which it assumes when not in use. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a car, showing the partition in position for use. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail View of the suspension means and bne of the locks which maintain the upper portion of the gate in place when in use. Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a modified form of lock for the upper portion of the partition.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The partition is illustrated as consisting of a gate comprising upright members A I having cross bars J secured thereto. To the ceiling or roof of the car are secured suitable tracks or runways B, each of which has a downturned flange Z). These tracks or runways extend the full length of the car,

and each is provided with a series of shoulders preferably formed by cutting holes or ADJUSTABLE CAR-PARTITION.

Patented Mar. 14, 1911.

Serial No. 546,228.

notches B in the depending flange Z). From the supporting tracks or runways B is suspended the partition or gate by means of flat bars C which aresecured to the uprights A and extend upward beyond the upper ends of the same. The bars C are secured to the uprights A by means of bolts C which pass through suitable openings 0 in the lower ends of the bars C and corresponding holes in the upper ends of the uprights A. By removing the bolts C and moving them to a difierent position, the bars C may .be adjusted vertically to adapt the device to cars of different kinds. The upper ends of the bars 0 are perforated, and through the openings in the bars extend the ends of a rod D. This rod is made adof the car, and permits the partition to swing. When the partition is not in use, it may be folded up under the roof of the car, as the side bars C have their upper ends bent or off-set at an angle with the body portion of the bars.

To prevent the upper ends of the bars C from moving toward each other, fingers E are secured to the bars C and extend up on the outer sides of the depending flanges b of the tracks so as to embrace these flanges. Tolock the upper end of the partition against movement, suitable latches F are pivoted to the fingers E, these latches fitting into-the notches B and being adapted to be moved out of the notches by proper manipulation when it is desired to move the partition along the tracks. a

For holding the partition more firmly in place when in use, there may be provided, when desired, additional locking means comprising pins G which are passed through holes 9 in the depending flanges of the tracks and through corresponding apertures in the bars C, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The lower portion of the gate or partition is locked to the floor when the device is in use, by means of bolts or pins H which are .justable in length, so as to adapt it to tracks 1 carried by the uprights A and may be thrust gate is swung to and from the horizontal position indicated by dotted lines, it will swing about the rod 1) as an axis, and the latches F will accordingly be swung respectively out of and into position for engagement with the notches B. Furthermore, after the operator has swung the gate to a sufliciently inclined position by lifting upon the handle K, he may slide the gate to any desired position along the tracks. When the gate is now allowed to swing to its normal vertical position, the latches F will enter the adjacent notches B, if they are in position to register with such notches, and if they are not in such position, they will prevent the gate from swinging to its vertical p'ositionuntil it has been shifted slightly forward or back to bring the latches-into such registering position. The latches may also be shifted laterally into and .out of position for engaging the notches in the tracks by turning each one of them on the axis of its pivotal connection with the finger E.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the locking means for the upper portion of the partition is formed by providing the upper edge of the track B with notches M, in which the ends of the rod Dmay rest. When it is desired to shift the partition from one part of the car to another, the partition may be lifted bodily and moved along on the tracks and lowered with the rod D in place in any pair of the notches M, as will be readily understood.

I claim 1. In a device of the class described, the

combination of an overhead track, support ing means mounted to be run on said track, a partition carried by said supporting means and adapted to be swung into and out" of a substantially vertical position, a series of shoulders on said track, and means on said partition adapted to coact with said shoulders for locking said partition when in its vertical position, and adapted to be moved intoand out-of position for engagement with said shoulders through the act of swinging said gate to and from its vertical position.

'2. In a device of the class described, the combination of, an overhead trackhaving a depending flange, supporting means mounted to be run on said track, a partition carried l I l i esaero by said supporting means and adapted to be swung into and out of a substantially vertical position, a series ofshoulders on said flange, and means adapted to coact with said shoulders for locking said partition when in its vertical position.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of an overhead track, a partition mounted to be run on said track and adapted to swing into and out of a substantially vertical position, a series of shoulders on said track, means on said partition adapted to coact with said shoulders for locking said partition when in its vertical position, and means below said track for securing said partition in such vertical position.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pair of parallel rails each having an upwardly disposed horizontal supporting surface and a depending flange, said flange having therein a series of notches,

a partition comprising a pair of upright members, means at the upper ends of said members and adapted to ride on said rails for supporting said partition as it is moved along said rails, and means carried by said uprights and adapted to engage said notches for locking said partition against movement along said rails when in a vertical position.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of an overhead track, a partition suspended from said track, means supporting said partition and adapted to be run along said track to different positions, means connecting said partition with said supporting means and constructed to permit said partition to be swung from a vertical position to a position substantially parallel with said track without disengaging said supporting means from said track, and means on said partition embracing said rails and adapted to prevent displacement of said supporting means from said rails.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of an overhead track having a depending flange, said flange having therein a series of notches, supporting means mounted to be run on said track, a partition carried by said supporting means and adapted to be swung into and out of a substantially vertical position, a part on saidpartition embracing id flange and adapted to prevent displaigment of said supporting means, and a la ch pivotpartition in a plurality of different-positions along said track.

I supporting means, and a latch pivotally carried by said part and adapted to coaot 8. In a device of the class described, the with said notches for locking said partition combination of an overhead track having a in a plurality of difl'erent positions along "5 depending flange, said flange having there said track.

in a series of notches, supporting means mounted to be run on said track, a partition carried by said supporting means, a part on said partition embracing said flange and 10 adapted to prevent displacement of said JOHN DIXEY.

Witnesses:

JOANNA H. PENWELL, GEO. W. SUTTON- 

